Everything You Need to Know about the Oscars — Part One: Revenge of the Nerds

I began this blog more than a month ago as the 2010 movie awards season culminated with the Academy Awards (informally known as the Oscars). The working title was If I Produced the Oscars,and my intent was to critique the overall quality of the awards ceremony with suggestions to make it more efficient and entertaining. However, after watching the program and frustrated attempts to blog on the aforementioned topic, it dawned on me that the Oscars and the film industry are two sides of the same coin. Consequently, a critique of one is applicable to the other, which raises the following question: What do the Oscars reveal about the Hollywood film industry and vice versa? This will be examined over the next few weeks in a three-part series: Part One: Revenge of the Nerds; Part Two: All in the Family; and Part Three: The Illusion of Inclusion.

“Congratulations, nerds.” — James Franco

As co-host of the Oscars this year, Franco’s attempt at humor revealed much about the film industry’s priorities. When founded in 1928, the Oscar’s stated purpose was to acknowledge the excellence of professionals in the film industry. However, the Oscars, with all its related pomp and pageantry, became more of a popularity contest and fashion show for movie stars than a way to recognize worthy accomplishments. Eighty-three years later, little has changed. Those who work in front of the camera are the focus of adoration, as evidenced by the most frequently asked question of the evening: “Who are you wearing?” Meanwhile, the “nerds,” who are responsible for the film industry’s scientific and technical innovations, are barely acknowledged. Their participation is reduced to a brief video recap of a previously held awards ceremony. Like those relegated to the kiddie table, the scientific and technical honorees are to be seen (barely) and not heard.

This apparent disregard for the visionaries who operate behind the scenes also reflects the film industry’s overall resistance to change and taking risks. For example, when The Jazz Singer, the first talking picture, was released in 1927, it was excluded from the Oscar’s Best Picture contest. The given reason was that it shouldn’t compete with silent films. The film’s technological breakthrough was of no consideration. However, it was not until The Jazz Singer created such a sensation (translation: made lots of money) that the industry took notice and transitioned to talking pictures. A great deal of the film industry’s progress and modifications – impacted in the past by television and more recently by digital technology and streaming media – continue to be made under duress.

2 thoughts on “Everything You Need to Know about the Oscars — Part One: Revenge of the Nerds”

Reading your blog made me grateful that I did not waste three precious hours of my life watching the Oscars. It is a sad commentary that style trumps substance in so many aspects of public life. It is no wonder that nominees spend as much if not more time deciding “who” to wear as they do preparing an acceptance speech. That said, there still are movies that have not bowed to the god of formulaic scripts, plots and casting. I join you and James Franco in congratulating the nerds who make movies worth watching.

Thanks for your comment. I watched the Oscars year after year hoping in vain for more substance and fairness. The memorable moments are too few and far between. Moving forward, the Oscars’ recap will more than suffice. Still, there’s a part of me that doesn’t want to give up completely.

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About Cinema Nero™

Katherine Nero is an award-winning filmmaker who is passionate about movies, politics, history and basketball. She blogs about film and media-related issues from a sociopolitical perspective once a month. Follow on Twitter: @CinemaNero.